Personal information database modification and monitoring

ABSTRACT

A database management engine provides a user interface that allows users to access and modify employee information in a database. The database includes entries for employees, and each database entry includes identifying information about the associated employee. A user can request to modify data within database entries, for instance in order to update information associated with an employee. Responsive to the request, the database management engine identifies liabilities associated with the database modification stemming from associated tax laws. Based on the identified tax liabilities, the engine computes the aggregate tax liability owed by the employer and/or employee. Before modifying a database entry, the engine modifies the user interface to include interface elements detailing the computed aggregate tax liability. The user explicitly can be required to confirm the database modification in view of the aggregate tax liability. Once a user gives explicit confirmation, the engine modifies the database entry.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.17/204,281, filed Mar. 17, 2021, which is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 16/552,795, filed Aug. 27, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No.10,983,979, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/386,005 filed Apr. 16, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,437,811, which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

This description generally relates to human resource database systemsand specifically to identifying and presenting potential penalties andliabilities based on user modifications to a database.

In current human resource database systems, when a customer requests tomodify user information, database modifications must be manuallyentered. However manual entry is prone to error and may be forgotten orneglected. Further, a single database modification to a user's data maynot always fix the problem it is intended to fix. As a result, currenthuman resource database systems are not able to rectify downstreamliability changes from a single update in user information. Further,manual entry is often linked with increased labor costs and penalties,which customers are expected to absorb. Finally, changing a user'sinformation may result in liabilities and penalties that aren't alwaysapparent prior to updating the database.

SUMMARY

A database management engine allows users to easily and automaticallymake retroactive modifications to database entries in a human resourcedatabase. Automating the modifications to a human resource database canreduce penalties and liabilities incurred by an entity associated withthe database by reducing database modification delays caused by manualentry of such modification. The database management engine is also ableto automatically identify exemptions, deductions, rebates, etc.,available to an employer or employee associated with the database.Further, the database management engine allows users to modify databaseentries without removing any information from the human resourcedatabase.

The database management engine provides a user interface that allowsusers to access and modify employee information in a database. Thedatabase includes entries for each employee of an employer, and eachdatabase entry includes identifying information about the associatedemployee. For example, the database entry may include data describing ageographic location of a workplace of an employee. Users can accessindividual database entries of the database through various interactiveor data entry elements of the user interface. The database managementengine receives requests from users to retrospectively modify databaseentries in the database. For example, a user may request to modify datain a database entry to update the geographic location of the workplaceof a corresponding employee who moved during a now-closed financialquarter.

Responsive to the request, the database management engine identifies oneor more tax liabilities of the database modification. The one or moretax liabilities may be identified based on federal, state, and local taxlaws, information in the employee's database entry, and informationabout the employer. Based on the one or more identified tax liabilities,the database management engine computes the aggregate tax liability owedby the employer and/or employee. The database management engine may alsocompute any tax penalties owed by the employee and/or employer,amendments that need to be filed, and the like.

Before modifying the data in the database entry, the database managementengine modifies the user interface to detail the computed aggregate taxliability associated with the database modification. The user interfacemay also detail other effects of the database modification (taxpenalties, debits, refunds, exemptions, etc.) and projected effects ifadditional database modifications are made to the same or differentdatabase entries in the database. The database management engine alsorequests that the user explicitly confirm the requested databasemodification to the data in the database entry.

Once a user has given explicit confirmation, the database managementengine modifies the data in the database entry. The database managementengine may also propagate the database modification throughout thedatabase. For example, the database management engine may updateemployer database entries in the database and file requisite amendmentsor tax documents on behalf of the employee and/or employer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a diagram of a system environment of a databasemanagement engine, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an architecture of the database managementengine, according to one embodiment.

FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate a process of a user modifying an entry in adatabase managed by the database management engine, according to oneembodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method of modifying an entry inthe database by the database management engine, according to oneembodiment.

The figures depict various example embodiments of the present technologyfor purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readilyrecognize from the following description that other alternativeembodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may beemployed without departing from the principles of the technologydescribed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION System Overview

FIG. 1 illustrates a diagram of a system environment 100 of a databasemanagement engine 115, according to one embodiment. The systemenvironment 100 shown by FIG. 1 includes a user 105, a client device110, a database management engine 115, and a database 120. Inalternative configurations, different and/or additional components maybe included in the system environment 100.

A user 105 of the database management engine 115 is an individual orentity associated with an organization. Organizations may includeschools or universities, businesses, non-profits, government agencies,and the like. Each organization has one or more employees. A user 105can use the database management engine 115 to manage employeeinformation, in particular payroll and tax-related information.

The client devices 110 are one or more computing devices capable ofreceiving user input as well as transmitting and/or receiving data via anetwork. In one embodiment, a client device 110 is a conventionalcomputer system, such as a desktop or a laptop computer. Alternatively,a client device 110 may be a device having computer functionality, suchas a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile telephone, a smartphone,or another suitable device. A client device 110 is configured tocommunicate via a network. In one embodiment, a client device 110executes an application allowing a user of the client device 110 tointeract with the database management engine 115. For example, a clientdevice 110 executes a browser application or native application toenable interaction between the client device 110 and the databasemanagement engine 115 via a network. In another embodiment, a clientdevice 110 interacts with the database management engine 115 through anapplication programming interface (API) running on a native operatingsystem of the client device 110, such as IOS® or ANDROID™.

The client devices 110 are configured to communicate via a network,which may include any combination of local area and/or wide areanetworks, using both wired and/or wireless communication systems. In oneembodiment, a network uses standard communications technologies and/orprotocols. For example, a network includes communication links usingtechnologies such as Ethernet, 802.11, worldwide interoperability formicrowave access (WiMAX), 3G, 4G, code division multiple access (CDMA),digital subscriber line (DSL), etc. Examples of networking protocolsused for communicating via the network include multiprotocol labelswitching (MPLS), transmission control protocol/Internet protocol(TCP/IP), hypertext transport protocol (HTTP), simple mail transferprotocol (SMTP), and file transfer protocol (FTP). Data exchanged over anetwork may be represented using any suitable format, such as hypertextmarkup language (HTML) or extensible markup language (XML). In someembodiments, all or some of the communication links of a network may beencrypted using any suitable techniques.

The database management engine 115 enables a user 105 to manageinformation of employees or other personnel or individuals associatedwith an organization. For instance, the database management engine 115enables a user 105 to amend and update employee information stored bythe database 120. A user 105 may access and modify information stored inthe database 120 through an interface populated by the databasemanagement engine 115 and displayed by a client device 110. The databasemanagement engine 115 is described in detail below.

Each employee of an organization is associated with an entry in thedatabase 120. A user 105 creates and modifies database entries of thedatabase 120 using the database management engine 115. A database entryincludes declarative information about the employee that was provided bythe employee, for instance at the time of hiring the employee. Eachdatabase entry includes multiple data fields, each describing one ormore attributes of the corresponding employee. Examples of informationstored in a database entry include (but are not limited to) biographicinformation, demographic information, geographic information (such asstate of employment and/or home address), payroll history, and othertypes of descriptive information, such as information related to taxfilings (e.g., salary, employer, citizenship status, number ofdependents, work location, deductions, and the like). In someembodiments, database entries also include documents filled-in by theemployee or on behalf of the employee, such as documents related tobenefits selections, tax filings, equity, etc. In some embodiments, adatabase entry in the database may also maintain references to actionsmade to the corresponding database entry. For example, the databaseentry may include a log of changes made to a database entry, includingchanges to payroll, workplace location, citizenship, and correspondingmetadata (e.g., time, date, location, author, etc.)

In some embodiments, the database 120 also includes database entries forthe organization itself. Information stored in an entity database entrymay include payroll history, number of employees, location of companyholdings, benefits provided to each employee (health care, retirementplans, equity, etc.). The database 120 may also include informationabout organizational preferences and security settings. For example, anorganization database entry may include data fields corresponding topayroll frequency, when database modifications can be made to databaseentries, who can modify database entries, when bonuses are given and/orreceived, etc.

The database management engine 115 manages database entries in thedatabase 120, and automatically amends and updates the database 120 whendatabase modifications to database entries are made. For example, thedatabase management engine 115 is able to amend discrepancies in thedatabase 120 when a user 105 retrospectively modifies a database entryin a way that affects the activities of a payroll system during afinancial quarter. Modifications to database entries may includereversing and rerunning payrolls, rate changes, address changes,exemption changes, unreported hirings, unreported terminations, and thelike. Payroll system activities may include computing tax liabilitiesand penalties owed to affected jurisdictions.

When a user 105 makes a request to modify a database entry that affectspayroll, there are two timelines associated with the requested databasemodification. If the payroll activities during a financial quarterchange, the retrospective view of the financial quarter will alsochange. The first timeline (“T1”) includes the original configuration ofthe quarter's activities (i.e., before a database modification to adatabase entry is made) and the second timeline (“T2”) includes the newconfiguration of the quarter's activities (i.e., after the databasemodification to the database entry is made). Upon making the requesteddatabase modification, a payroll amendment that reconciles the timelinescan be identified and processed. In some embodiments, payroll amendmentscannot modify previously computed payrolls, thus necessitating anadditional payroll be entered to reconcile the timelines. Examples ofpayroll amendments include debits, refunds, adjusted tax rates, and newstate registrations. Liabilities and penalties resulting from thedatabase modifications are also computed. Before a database modificationrequiring a payroll amendment is made to a database entry, payrollamendments, liabilities and penalties are presented to the user 105 on auser interface displayed by the client device 110 so that the user 105can see the projected effect of the database modification. In someembodiments, the user 105 must explicitly confirm that the databasemodification should be entered into the database after viewing theprojected payroll effect of the database modification on theorganization. The user 105 may also be required to explicitly confirmthat payroll amendments should be entered and outstanding debits (suchas additional tax liabilities) should be paid, for instance before thedatabase entry is modified.

For example, a user 105 may wish to enter a backdated address for anemployee that transferred from a company's California office to its NewYork office between a first and second payroll of a previous financialquarter. If the previous financial quarter is closed, when the databasemodification is made, the quarter's filings will no longer be accurate.In this example, the filing does not account for the taxes owed to NewYork and the taxes overpaid to California in the second payroll of theprevious financial quarter. Therefore, a payroll amendment needs to befiled to reconcile between a timeline associated with the as-filedfinancial quarter, T1, and a timeline associated with the financialquarter that includes the address change, T2. The database managementengine 115 identifies the nature of the database modification as abackdated address change, identifies the payroll amendment that wouldreconcile T1 and T2, and presents the database modification and payrollamendment to the user 105 on the user interface. In this example, thepayroll amendment may include the amount taxes owed to New York, therefund owed to the employee and/or employer for overpaying taxes inCalifornia, New York state registrations, and penalties and interestsowed for not filing the address change on-time. After viewing thepayroll amendments, the user 105 can decide whether or not to proceedwith the database modification, and the database modifications aren'tentered until the user 105 explicitly confirms that the databasemodification should be entered.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an architecture of the database managementengine 115, according to one embodiment. The database management engine115 shown in FIG. 2 includes a user interface 205, a state and local lawdatabase 210, a liability engine 215, and an employee management engine220. In other embodiments, the database management engine 115 mayinclude additional, fewer, or different components for variousapplications. Conventional components such as security functions, loadbalancers, failover servers, management and network operations consoles,and the like are not shown so as to not obscure the details of thesystem architecture.

The user interface 205 allows a user 105 to access, modify, and createdatabase entries in the database 120 using various elements of the userinterface 205. The user interface 205 also allows a user 105 to view andaccept liabilities, penalties, and payroll amendments identified by theliability engine 215. In some embodiments, to modify a database entry inthe database 120, a user 105 must view the projected liabilities,penalties, and requisite payroll amendments resulting from the requesteddatabase modification, and must explicitly confirm the databasemodification in view of the requested database modification. Forexample, the user 105 may have to trigger a user command, providesecurity information (e.g., a pin number, passcode, etc.), etc., beforethe database modification and payroll amendments are entered.

As a user 105 makes a request to modify a database entry, the requesteddatabase modifications are sent to the liability engine 215 and/oremployee management engine 220. The liability engine 215 computes theimpacts of the database modification on the database 120, which aredisplayed on the user interface 205. The liability engine 215 isdiscussed in further detail below. The employee management engine 220completes and logs any database modifications made to a database entry,as discussed in further detail below.

The state and local law database 210 stores federal, state, and/or localtax laws of each jurisdiction an organization or employee works andlives in including, but not limited to, available tax deductions in aparticular jurisdiction, available tax refunds in a particularjurisdiction, and tax rates/tax brackets in a particular jurisdiction.The state and local law database 210 may be connected to a network toimport tax laws from third-party software systems, third-partydatabases, and the like. The state and local law database 210 may beupdated automatically when new tax laws are put into effect or existingtax laws are amended. The state and local law database 210 may also beupdated at a frequency set by the user 105 (e.g., every month, quarter,year, etc.) or by a trigger event (such as a request from the user 105,a database administrator, running payroll, and the like). In someembodiments, the state and local law database 210 includes other lawsthat are used to identify and calculate liabilities. The state and locallaw database 210 may also stores forms relevant to requisite payrollamendments identified by the liability engine 215. For example, thestate and local law database 210 may store templates of new stateregistration forms, tax amendment forms, tax return forms, and the like.

The liability engine 215 computes the projected liabilities andpenalties that result from database modifications made to individualdatabase entries or to the entire database 120. The liability engine 215also identifies payroll amendments necessary to reconcile previously-runpayrolls, true-up taxes owed/overpaid by the organization or employee,and debit penalties and interests owed for backdated databasemodifications. Examples of payroll amendments may include: filingamendments to tax documents, paying debits, issuing refunds, filing newstate registrations, etc. To compute the projected liabilities andpenalties and identify necessary payroll amendments, the liabilityengine 215 queries the state and local law database 210 usinginformation associated with the requested database modification (e.g.,such as an employee's old address and new address) to identify therelevant liabilities and penalties (and also available tax credits andrefunds) associated with the requested database modification.

The liability engine 215 also computes the aggregate liabilities andpenalties owed when more than one change is made to a database entry,when multiple changes are made to more than one database entry, when anorganization changes their payroll preferences (e.g., from biweekly totwice-monthly), and the like. The liabilities, penalties, and requisitepayroll amendments associated with the modified database entry aredisplayed to the user 105 on the user interface 205. In someembodiments, the liability engine 215 also identifies tax exemptions,deductions, rebates, etc., available to the organization or employee.

The employee management engine 220 modifies database entries in thedatabase based on the requested database modification. The employeemanagement engine 220 also enters payroll amendments identified by theliability engine 215. To do this, the employee management engine 220receives the computed liabilities, penalties, and requisite payrollamendments identified by the liability engine 215and completes necessaryforms for the payroll amendment (e.g., new state registration, exemptionforms, tax amendments, etc.), files the payroll amendments, trues-updebts owed by the organization, etc. Completed payroll amendments aresent to the user interface 205 to be displayed by the user 105. The user105 can view and share the payroll amendments via the user interface205. In some embodiments, the user 105 can edit payroll amendments usinginteractive or data entry elements of the user interface 205. Theemployee management engine 220 also monitors and logs databasemodifications made to database entries. Logs may include metadataassociated with the database modification, such as a time and date ofthe database modification, an author of the database modification,information identifying or associated with the modified database entry,a reason for the database modification, a location from which thedatabase modification is requested, etc.

The employee management engine 220 also propagates the databasemodification throughout the database 120. For example, the employeemanagement engine 220 may recalculate payrolls with the databasemodifications and update total liabilities and penalties owed by theorganization. In some embodiments, the employee management engine 220may propagate the database entry throughout the database 120 only afterthe database management engine 115 receives explicit confirmation fromthe user 105 to modify the database entry in the database 120. In otherembodiments, once a database entry is modified, the employee managementengine 220 automatically propagates the database modification throughoutthe database, modifying database entries in the database affected by thedatabase modification to the database entry.

FIG. 3A illustrates an example of a user interface of a databasemanagement engine 115 displaying database information included within adatabase entry 305, according to one embodiment. As previouslydiscussed, a database entry 305 is an object with multiple data fields,each including information about the employee. The database entry 305shown includes a name field, e.g., Rina Zahara 310, a workplace locationfield 315, a salary field 320, a forms field 325, an employer field 330,a bonus field 335, a benefits field 340, and an exemptions field 345.The workplace location field 315 indicates the employee works in City1317. The forms field 325 includes tax- and payroll-related forms. Forexample, the forms field 325 may include a W-2 form, a W-4 form, a W-9form, a 1099 form, etc. The employer field includes information aboutthe employee's employer. Information may include a particular subsidiaryof the organization the employee works for, the department and/orposition of the employee, status of the employee, etc. In someembodiments, the employer field 330 may be directly linked to anemployer database entry in the database 120 that can be accessed throughthe user interface 205. The bonus field 335 may include an amount andtime a bonus was received, upcoming bonuses, etc. The benefits field 340includes information about the employee's benefits. This may include theinsurance coverage the employer provides, insurance plan selections,retirement selections, etc. The exemptions field 345 includes exemptionsthe employee is eligible for. Examples of examples include: incomeexemptions, individual exemptions, property exemptions, etc. Theexemptions field 345 may also include information related to theemployee's exemption eligibility. This can include citizenship, numberof dependents, age, etc. In alternative embodiments, different, fewer,or more data fields are included in database entries. The user interfacemay include radio buttons that the user 105 can select to edit adatabase entry, e.g., edit button 350, or save the database entry 305and exit the interface displaying the database entry 305, e.g., save andexit button 355.

FIG. 3B illustrates a user interface 205 displaying the projectedeffects of a database modification on an entry in the database 120. Auser 105 may request to modify one or more fields in the database entry305 by selecting the edit button 350. The projected effects of thedatabase modification are displayed to the user 105 on an additionaluser interface element 360. In some embodiments, when a user 105 selectsa data field to modify, the additional user interface element 360 isdisplayed to the user 105. In other embodiments, the additional userinterface element 360 is displayed to the user 105 after the user 105enters any database modifications, upon request from the user 105 toview the project effects of the database modification, after thedatabase modification is processed by the database management engine115, and the like. In the example shown in FIG. 3B, a user 105 isrequesting to modify the workplace location data field 315 by replacingCity1 317 with City2 363. In some embodiments, a user 105 may beprompted to provide additional information for certain databasemodifications. For example, the user 105 may be asked for the effectivedate 364 of the database modification, which will be used by thedatabase management engine 115 to calculate liabilities and penaltiesassociated with the database modification. In other examples, a user 105may be asked for the effective date of a salary change, a new hire, aneligible exemption, a rebate, etc.

Once the liability management engine 215 receives an updated value for adata field, it computes any corresponding aggregate liabilities 365and/or aggregate penalties 370, and displays them on the additional userinterface element 360 of the user interface 205. The user interfaceelement 360 may also display a graph 375 of the effects of the databasemodification on the organization. For example, the graph 375 may displaythe tax rates of different jurisdictions, penalties associated withbackdated address changes, fees associated with moving an employee fromgeographic location to another, net gains or losses, money saved inrebates and/or exemptions, and the like. The interface element 360 mayalso display any forms 373 that need to be updated or created for theemployee or organization. After the user 105 reviews the liabilities andpenalties associated with the database modifications, the user 105confirms the database modifications in view of the displayed liabilitiesand penalties caused by the database modifications, for instance byselecting the confirm interface element 375. Likewise, the user 105 maycancel the database modification, e.g., by selecting cancel 380.

FIG. 3C illustrates a modified database entry 305, according to oneembodiment. The database entry 305 now includes City2 385 as theworkplace location field 315, and the forms field 325 now includes astate registration form 390 for City2. The user 105 may continue to editthe database entry 305 by selecting the edit button 350, or the user 105may save the modified database entry by selecting the save and exitbutton 355.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method 400 of modifying a databaseentry in the database by the database management engine 115, accordingto one embodiment. A database management engine 115 provides 405 a userinterface 205 in which a user 105 can access and modify database entriesin a database 120. In some embodiments, each database entry correspondsto an employee and includes a geographic location of a workplace of anemployee. The database management engine 115 receives 410 a request fromthe user 105 to retrospectively modify data in a database entry in orderto update the geographic location of the workplace of a correspondingemployee. For example, the user 105 may want to enter a backdatedaddress of an employee who transferred from a first geographic locationto a second geographic location.

Responsive to the request from the user 105, the database managementengine 115 identifies 415 one or more tax liabilities associated withthe requested database modification of the data. The database managementengine 115 computes 420 an aggregate tax liability based on the one ormore identified tax liabilities. In some embodiments, the databasemanagement engine 115 also identifies and computes one or morepenalties, exemptions, or rebates based on the database modification.The database management engine 115 modifies 425 the user interface 205to include an interface element detailing the aggregate tax liabilityand requesting the user 105 to explicitly confirm the requested databasemodification to the database entry. In response to explicitconfirmation, the database management engine 115 modifies 430 the datain the database entry and propagates the database modificationthroughout the database 120. In some embodiments, the databasemanagement engine 115 completes and files payroll amendments on behalfof the user 105. For example, the database management engine 115 maydebit the user 105 any liabilities owed to one or both of the geographiclocations, may prepare and file tax documents and payroll amendments,and the like.

Conclusion

The foregoing description of the embodiments has been presented for thepurpose of illustration; it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limitthe patent rights to the precise forms disclosed. Persons skilled in therelevant art can appreciate that many modifications and variations arepossible in light of the above disclosure.

Some portions of this description describe the embodiments in terms ofalgorithms and symbolic representations of operations on information.These algorithmic descriptions and representations are commonly used bythose skilled in the data processing arts to convey the substance oftheir work effectively to others skilled in the art. These operations,while described functionally, computationally, or logically, areunderstood to be implemented by computer programs or equivalentelectrical circuits, microcode, or the like. Furthermore, it has alsoproven convenient at times, to refer to these arrangements of operationsas modules, without loss of generality. The described operations andtheir associated modules may be embodied in software, firmware,hardware, or any combinations thereof.

Any of the steps, operations, or processes described herein may beperformed or implemented with one or more hardware or software modules,alone or in combination with other devices. In one embodiment, asoftware module is implemented with a computer program productcomprising a computer-readable medium containing computer program code,which can be executed by a computer processor for performing any or allof the steps, operations, or processes described.

Embodiments may also relate to an apparatus for performing theoperations herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed for therequired purposes, and/or it may include a general-purpose computingdevice selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer programstored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored in anon-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium, or any typeof media suitable for storing electronic instructions, which may becoupled to a computer system bus. Furthermore, any computing systemsreferred to in the specification may include a single processor or maybe architectures employing multiple processor designs for increasedcomputing capability.

Embodiments may also relate to a product that is produced by a computingprocess described herein. Such a product may include informationresulting from a computing process, where the information is stored on anon-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium and mayinclude any embodiment of a computer program product or other datacombination described herein.

Finally, the language used in the specification has been principallyselected for readability and instructional purposes, and it may not havebeen selected to delineate or circumscribe the patent rights. It istherefore intended that the scope of the patent rights be limited not bythis detailed description, but rather by any claims that issue on anapplication based hereon. Accordingly, the disclosure of the embodimentsis intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of thepatent rights, which is set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed:
 1. A method comprising: providing for display a userinterface in which a user can access and modify a database, the databasecontaining a plurality of entries each corresponding to an employee;receiving a request from the user to retrospectively modify dataassociated with a characteristic of an employee in an entry of thedatabase corresponding to the employee, wherein modifying thecharacteristic of the employee comprises changing a geographic locationof a workplace of the employee to a new geographic location; detecting achange in a characteristic of triggered by the modified data; beforemodifying the data in the entry of the database, modifying the userinterface to include an interface element that displays the change inthe characteristic that will result from the data being modified and toinclude links to forms specific to the new geographic location of theworkplace of the employee that must be modified or executed in order forthe change in the characteristic to take effect, and requesting the userexplicitly confirm the requested modification to the data in the entryof the database; and in response to explicit confirmation from the user,modifying the data in the entry of the database and propagating themodification throughout the database.
 2. The method of claim 1, whereinthe user interface element details one or more of a net gain, a netloss, an exemption, or a rebate associated with the modification of thedata.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: automaticallypreparing and filing one or more forms associated with the modificationwith a corresponding governmental agency.
 4. The method of claim 1,further comprising: identifying one or more actions required by the userbefore the data can be modified; autogenerating forms associated withthe one or more actions; and providing the forms for display on the userinterface such that the user can access and complete the forms.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the characteristic comprises a change in anemployer-provided benefit comprising one or more of: a change ininsurance coverage, a change in insurance plan or plan selection, and achange in retirement selection.
 6. The method of claim 1, whereinpropagating the modification throughout the database further comprises:identifying a tax document to be amended in response to themodification; amending the tax document based on the modification; andfiling the amended tax document based on the modified entry in thedatabase.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein propagating the modificationthroughout the database further comprises: calculating a set ofpenalties associated with the modification owed to a jurisdiction; andredistributing funds allocated to the jurisdiction based on the set ofpenalties.
 8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage mediumcontaining executable instructions that, when executed by a hardwareprocessor, cause the hardware processor to perform steps comprising:providing for display a user interface in which a user can access andmodify a database, the database containing a plurality of entries eachcorresponding to an employee; receiving a request from the user toretrospectively modify data associated with a characteristic of anemployee in an entry of the database corresponding to the employee,wherein modifying the characteristic of the employee comprises changinga geographic location of a workplace of the employee to a new geographiclocation; detecting a change in a characteristic of triggered by themodified data; before modifying the data in the entry of the database,modifying the user interface to include an interface element thatdisplays the change in the characteristic that will result from the databeing modified and to include links to forms specific to the newgeographic location of the workplace of the employee that must bemodified or executed in order for the change in the characteristic totake effect, and requesting the user explicitly confirm the requestedmodification to the data in the entry of the database; and in responseto explicit confirmation from the user, modifying the data in the entryof the database and propagating the modification throughout thedatabase.
 9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium ofclaim 8, wherein the user interface element details one or more of a netgain, a net loss, an exemption, or a rebate associated with themodification of the data.
 10. The non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed,cause the hardware processor to perform further steps comprising:automatically preparing and filing one or more forms associated with themodification with a corresponding governmental agency.
 11. Thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein theinstructions, when executed, cause the hardware processor to performfurther steps comprising: identifying one or more actions required bythe user before the data can be modified; autogenerating formsassociated with the one or more actions; and providing the forms fordisplay on the user interface such that the user can access and completethe forms.
 12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium ofclaim 8, wherein the characteristic comprises a change in anemployer-provided benefit comprising one or more of: a change ininsurance coverage, a change in insurance plan or plan selection, and achange in retirement selection.
 13. The non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium of claim 8, wherein propagating the modificationthroughout the database further comprises: identifying a tax document tobe amended in response to the modification; amending the tax documentbased on the modification; and filing the amended tax document based onthe modified entry in the database.
 14. The non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein propagating themodification throughout the database further comprises: calculating aset of penalties associated with the modification owed to ajurisdiction; and redistributing funds allocated to the jurisdictionbased on the set of penalties.
 15. A system comprising: a hardwareprocessor; and a non-transitory computer-readable medium containinginstructions that, when executed by the hardware processor, cause thehardware processor to perform steps comprising: providing for display auser interface in which a user can access and modify a database, thedatabase containing a plurality of entries each corresponding to anemployee; receiving a request from the user to retrospectively modifydata associated with a characteristic of an employee in an entry of thedatabase corresponding to the employee, wherein modifying thecharacteristic of the employee comprises changing a geographic locationof a workplace of the employee to a new geographic location; detecting achange in a characteristic of triggered by the modified data; beforemodifying the data in the entry of the database, modifying the userinterface to include an interface element that displays the change inthe characteristic that will result from the data being modified and toinclude links to forms specific to the new geographic location of theworkplace of the employee that must be modified or executed in order forthe change in the characteristic to take effect, and requesting the userexplicitly confirm the requested modification to the data in the entryof the database; and in response to explicit confirmation from the user,modifying the data in the entry of the database and propagating themodification throughout the database
 16. The system of claim 15, whereinthe user interface element details one or more of a net gain, a netloss, an exemption, or a rebate associated with the modification of thedata.
 17. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions, whenexecuted, cause the hardware processor to perform further stepscomprising: automatically preparing and filing one or more formsassociated with the modification with a corresponding governmentalagency.
 18. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions, whenexecuted, cause the hardware processor to perform further stepscomprising: identifying one or more actions required by the user beforethe data can be modified; autogenerating forms associated with the oneor more actions; and providing the forms for display on the userinterface such that the user can access and complete the forms.
 19. Thesystem of claim 15, wherein the characteristic comprises a change in anemployer-provided benefit comprising one or more of: a change ininsurance coverage, a change in insurance plan or plan selection, and achange in retirement selection.
 20. The system of claim 15, whereinpropagating the modification throughout the database further comprises:identifying a tax document to be amended in response to themodification; amending the tax document based on the modification; andfiling the amended tax document based on the modified entry in thedatabase.